


In Which Much Courage is Displayed

by jacksparrow589



Series: In Which Things Change [6]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Shirbert, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, basically just a whole lotta cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26991325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/jacksparrow589
Summary: "Wait." Gilbert advanced half a step. Anne froze as he raised his hand to her face, not quite touching her, but close enough that she could feel his warmth. "You… have paint on your face."-------------Answering the question of why, oh WHY in 3x07 didn't Gilbert at least tell Anne she had paint on her face? How might things (okay, how might the porch scene in particular, let's be honest) have changed if he had?
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: In Which Things Change [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672138
Comments: 38
Kudos: 171





	In Which Much Courage is Displayed

**Author's Note:**

> It took half a year, but this is the paint splotch scene that could have been in the first Inflection Points series had Chreechree not given me other ideas. :P  
> Also, courage is absolutely an arc word in this fic and I will be using it a LOT.

Anne heaved a breath as she stepped out of the barn. She was going to go apologize to Josie.

"Anne."

She whipped around. "Gilbert! You're still here…"

Gilbert nodded. "Arranging to come to the schoolhouse with you and the Cuthberts tomorrow."

Anne gave him a half-smile. "I can't thank you enough. I caught only the tail end of your speech, but you were standing up for me, and after I… wasn't exactly charitable to you the other day." She couldn't quite meet his eyes. "Sorry about that," she murmured belatedly. Still, it was clear that it wasn't an afterthought; it was something she'd had to work up to.

Gilbert shrugged. "Yeah, well… I was just doing what you would've done for any of them. By telling them just that, really." The words tumbled out of Gilbert's mouth, and he looked just a little embarrassed. More evenly, he added, "And apology accepted." He held out a hand.

Anne eyed it. "D'you… Have a word in mind?" She asked hesitantly, hoping it didn't seem too childish to bring back up.

Gilbert tilted his head in thought. After a long moment, in a quiet voice, he simply said, "Courage."

Taking his hand gently (she might have called it tenderly if she wasn't trying to tamp down on some extremely persistent and unwanted feelings), Anne recited, "C-O-U-R-A-G-E" before practically yanking her hand back. For a long minute, neither moved or even blinked, and then Anne stammered, "I-I still need to go apologize to Josie, speaking of apologies." She turned to leave.

"Wait." Gilbert advanced half a step. Anne froze as he raised his hand to her face, not quite touching her, but close enough that she could feel his warmth. "You… have paint on your face."

Anne's eyes widened and her hand jumped to her face, knocking Gilbert's away. Her cheeks were already pink, and the color was only deepening between proximity to Gilbert (never mind the new frisson that ran up her arm when her hand touched his) and the embarrassment of having a paint splotch on her face. She looked down at her pinafore and grabbed a corner, only for Gilbert to offer her a handkerchief as he hastily explained, "I got a bit of paint on my hand earlier. No sense in getting it on a clean apron, too."

Anne took it gingerly, doing her best not to let her hand touch Gilbert's. 

"Thank you," she said quietly. When Gilbert didn't say anything, she continued, "I… can rinse it before I leave."

Gilbert shook his head. "I'll take care of it. Like I said, it had paint on it already anyway."

It hadn't looked like it had to Anne, but she hadn't been looking too hard, she supposed, and it was white paint… "I… um… Thank you again. I'll see you tomorrow." She handed the handkerchief to him, snatching her hand back like she'd been burned when she just barely brushed Gilbert's hand again.

"It'll be fine," Gilbert blurted, and Anne thought she could see a bit of color rise in his cheeks as he continued, "Tomorrow, I mean. You've got a good plan and I… We're all behind you."

Anne almost managed a smile.

"Thanks, Gilbert. See you tomorrow."

Gilbert nodded. "Good luck with Josie. I… I'm here if… if you want to talk."

Anne gave a short nod back. "I… Thanks again." With that, she fled.

Gilbert turned and began his own trek home, now with thoughts of his own to sort out before tomorrow.

* * *

_**the next evening** _

"You sure pulled that off," Gilbert told Anne as he sat down next to her on Miss Stacy's porch steps.

" _We_ did," Anne corrected with a smile.

"Still, it was your plan to begin with. You should be proud," Gilbert pointed out.

Anne turned to look at him. "Some things, even I can't account for. You ripping those stupid rules of theirs up was… It had an effect."

 _Did it?_ Gilbert wanted to ask, but Anne spoke again. "Honestly, I was a little terrified the whole time. Courage is funny that way: you need to be just a little scared. I thought everyone was." She tilted her head curiously. "Were you?"

Gilbert shrugged a shoulder. "Not about that."

Anne let out a short laugh. "You have something else you're worried about?" she asked, incredulous.

Gilbert didn't meet her gaze at first, instead looking at his hands as he knit his fingers together tightly. After a moment, he mumbled, "I'm still… working up the courage."

For a moment, Anne didn't say anything. Then as carefully and evenly as she could manage with her heart in her throat, she asked, "Does this have anything to do with Winifred?"

Gilbert shook his head. "No." He took a measured breath, then reached out to take one of Anne's hands in both of his. "It has to do with you."

Anne's eyes were wide. She shook her head, protesting faintly, "But Winifred—"

"Bringing her to the fair was a mistake," Gilbert said quickly. "We're not—she'll never be anything more than a friend. We know that now." He shook his head. "Anne, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Anne whispered. "It's not… You're not… _We're_ not…" It was hard to find the words when Gilbert was looking at her the way he was, never mind that his thumb brushing the back of her hand was sending jolt after jolt of electricity up her arm.

"I know, and… and it should have been different. I wish—I should have asked you… I should have _said_ something after the dance practice." Gilbert gazed into Anne's eyes. She didn't look away, but she didn't seem to be coming up with any reply. After a long moment, in a voice just above a whisper, Gilbert started again. "Anne, I…" The words caught in his throat. His heart pounded as he moved a hand to cup Anne's cheek before leaning in to kiss her once very softly.

Anne barely had time to respond before he pulled back. Gilbert watched her eyes flutter open, only to widen in shock. For a moment, he was terrified that he'd completely imagined any indication of affection on her part, but then a smile blossomed across Anne's features, and Gilbert let out a relieved sigh and let his hand drop from Anne's cheek back to their joined hands.

"Well, that… answers a few questions," Anne admitted with a breathy laugh. "I do have some more, though. And apologies for things I've said…"

"You're not the only one," Gilbert told her, his smile turning thoughtful. He took Anne's other hand. "But with the day we've had, that's probably best left for another day."

"I can't say I object," Anne agreed after a moment's contemplation. Her smile grew shy, but there was a little mischief in it as well just as she opened her mouth to say something. However, just as she started to speak, there was a bit of a commotion from inside.

"Anne! Where's Anne? I can't leave without saying goodbye!" Moody cried.

Anne sprang to her feet. It didn't entirely escape her notice that Gilbert didn't let go of her hands until the last possible second. "Just getting some fresh air! I'll be in in a moment!" she called. She turned back to Gilbert, biting her lip for a moment before tucking her braid behind her ear before leaning in.

Gilbert thought the most he could expect was a kiss on the cheek. Surely with so many potential prying eyes, Anne would want to be more circumspect. But this was Anne, and the quick peck on the lips she gave him before smiling and heading back inside was the most quintessentially _her_ choice that Anne could make.

Allowing himself an entirely satisfied sigh that would absolutely have Bash deeming him a soppy moke later on if the grin that might now be permanently plastered across his face didn't, Gilbert got to his feet, tried (and completely failed) to marshal his expression a little more, and headed inside himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative Title: In Which Everyone Conveniently Gives Our Favorite Couple Uninterrupted Time to Figure it Out  
> Was just gonna leave this at the paint splotch scene, but then, the rest of it came to me. I am not sorry.  
> Similarly, I was going to wait longer to post this, but it's a stormy day where I live and I want to put something nice out there and I have no self control. Again, not sorry  
> Drop a line and let me know what you think!


End file.
